[Freeciv] Re: Combat rules

["Bobby D. Bryant" <bdbryant@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gert Van den Eynde wrote:

> I have a small (and maybe stupid) question on the freeciv combat rules. As I 
> can see now, combat is always one-on-one. Is it possible to have "a lot - on 
> - one" or "a lot - on - a lot" style of combat ? For example, I attack a city 
> with 4 units and the city defends itself with 2 units, all
> simultaneously ?

This would be a nice feature, at least for history buffs.

Throughout most of history, wars were fought by each side sending a single 
monolithic army (or at most a very few armies) against each other.  The command 
and control arrangements for phasing attacks by a myriad independently 
operating units just was not there.

And in modern times, combined arms operations are the key to everything, so 
stack operations would be the best way to implement modern combat as well.

However, in addition to requiring changes to the code, this might cause 
playability problems.  Just guessing, but I can't help wonder whether it was 
omitted from Civ I/II because it would introduce a problem with players quickly 
building a super-army that could walk all over weaker states with
impunity.  If it is implemented, there may need to be some constraints on it, 
and lots of playtesting will be necessary.

Bobby Bryant
Austin, Texas